BLOODBORNE: THE LADY OF THE LANTERNS #4, from Titan Comics on February 8th, 2023, concludes the fight for Yharnam’s soul when the hunters gather to find the Lady of the Lanterns’ lair.
The Details
- Written by: Cullen Bunn
- Art by: Piotr Kowalski
- Colors by: Brad Simpson
- Letters by: JAME
- Cover art by: Alan Quah (cover A)
- Comic Rating: Teen+
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: February 8, 2023
Is It Good?
BLOODBORNE: THE LADY OF THE LANTERNS #4 brings the conflict between the hunters and the survivors of Yharnam against the Lady of the Lanterns to a close. Cullen Bunn pays off the arc with a desperate battle that’s sure to make action fans and fans of the original video game happy, but the ending leaves the door wide open for more, so it’s not quite clear if the arc is truly finished.
When last we left the hunters, they were surrounded by Yharnam villagers infected with the Scourge, an affliction that turns humans into mindless slaves under the Lady of the Lanterns’ control. Now, the hunters need to survive an unstoppable mob and find the Lady to put an end to her spell.
Of all the issues in this arc, this is the most action-packed of the bunch. The squad of hunters lets loose with everything they have to take out the possessed mob and hunt the Lady to her nest. Fans of the video game will have the most fun watching the hunters pull out a surprising array of weapons to slash tentacles, gouge eyes, shut mouths, and cut down huge monsters. If you’ve been waiting for the gameplay portion of the series, Bunn saves the best for last.
The oddity of the ending is its lack of finality. The remaining hunters do what they do best, but it’s not clear if they ended the Lady’s threat or if there’s more waiting down a dark tunnel. The issue ends on a “To Be Continued…”, but there is no issue #5, so it’s unclear if this issue will transition into a new arc or not.
Kowalsi’s gritty, period-accurate art shines in this issue as the action takes center stage. The fight choreography is exciting, and the violence is appropriately gory to give the threat of violence some weight. It feels like the hunters are in danger, and you can see the strain the battle takes on their mortal bodies. This is really solid work from Kowalski.
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What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our BLOODBORNE: THE LADY OF THE LANTERNS #3 review to find out how the hunters met before the final boss fight.
We begin with the surrounded hunters fighting against overwhelming numbers from the possessed Yarnham townspeople. There is no cure for the Scourge, so the hunters have no choice but to cut the infected down. Tired but intact after stopping the mob, the hunters follow the bloody trail that leads to the Lady’s lair.
The trail leads to an old root cellar where a pack of weredogs lies in wait to attack. The hunters, again, give the fight their all and put the dogs down for good.
We conclude the issue with the big boss, losses, and strength in numbers.
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Final Thoughts
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BLOODBORNE: THE LADY OF THE LANTERNS #4 ends the arc (maybe?) with a climactic battle between the hunters, the possessed citizens of Yharnam, and the monstrous Lady of the Lanterns. The action is fierce and sure to be a crowd-pleaser for fans of the video game, but the open ending is a little too open-ended, leaving you to wonder if anything was accomplished.
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